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EIF - Marie Curie actions-Intra-European Fellowships

Objective

In humans, an effective defence against a particular pathogen requires a balanced differentiation between a type I and type II immune response. Prototypical type I and II immune responses are based on a different cytokine profiles in response to a pathogen. In humans, type I immunostimulator is Trypanosoma brucei,and type II is Schistosoma monsoni.

We propose to study type I and type II immune responses in fish (carp: Cyprinus carpio) using a trypanosome (G. borreli) and a schistosome (S. inermis) infection mod el. Target parasites proteins will be identified by screening their cDNA library with parasite-specific host antibodies. Recombinant target proteins expressed in bacteria, and antibodies raised against these proteins will be used to study the subsequent type of immune response.

Real-time quantitative expression of type I cytokines (IL-1, TNF) and type II cytokines (IL-10, TGF) will be studied in carp leukocytes stimulated in vitro with either T. borreli or S. inermis recombinantproteins. Cytokine profiles in vivo, will be studied following infection with either T. borreli or S.inermis or following injection with their target proteins. Nitric oxide (classical activation) and arginase activity (alternative activation) of macrophages stimulated with target proteins w ill be taken as further markers for respectively type I or type II response in fish. Blocking studies using antibodies raised against the target proteins of both parasites aim at inhibiting specific type I/II immune reactions and will help to establish their relative importance during infection.

The present project aims to increase knowledge of the fish immune system and the control of fish diseases. The research objectives will help to understand the immune response type to different pathogens. This may lead to more targeted immuno-prophylactic approaches in aquaculture, reducing susceptibility to diseases while preserving the environment.